"Well, you fooled all the prophets," said Gunther in his blunt way.
"How so?"
"We gave you a year, at the most," said Gunther, who stopped short and looked at his friend as though to ask the explanation of such a miracle.
"My wife adores me," said Beecher, with a smile.
Gunther smiled to himself and thought that if the wife had developed as though by right into the sure and brilliant woman of the world, the husband at heart had retained the same boyish irreverence of the mysterious depths of life.
"You ought to get into something, Ted," he said abruptly. "You can't loaf in America! ... I'll give you an opening."
"That's why the Missus brought me back," said Beecher. "Look out, I may take up that offer!"
This reply, unconsciously delivered, gave Gunther the first glimpse of light into the perplexing success of his friend's marriage.
"Well, where's the first call?" he said, registering in his mind this last perception.
"I want to drop in on Mrs. Fontaine, Mrs. Slade," ... he considered a moment and added, "Mrs. Bloodgood, too, I am anxious to see..."